Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to soles for shoes, in particular soles for sports shoes, and to shoes having such soles.
Background Art
Shoes such as sports shoes generally comprise an upper and a sole.
Usual functions of a sole of a shoe may be to protect the foot from sharp objects which may be stepped on, to provide cushioning and to provide stability on the ground such that slipping may be prevented. Numerous designs of shoe soles are known which aim at fulfilling the above functions. For example, for providing a stable contact between the shoe and the ground, a sole may comprise profile elements, e.g., studs or naps, which may be adapted to penetrate the ground. Different designs for profile elements of soles are known from, e.g., EP 0 340 053 B1 or DE 31 27 793 C1.
A basic functionality of an upper of a shoe may in turn be to fix the foot within the shoe and on the sole. Various further functions may be provided by an upper depending on the specific application of the shoe. Uppers may, e.g., provide a good ventilation or heat insulation or they may prevent water from entering the shoe. In particular for soccer shoes, an upper may be optimized for controlling a soccer ball.
For example, EP 1 484 991 B1 discloses a cover for a lace-up footwear which comprises solely a continuous elastically expandable sleeve, wherein the exterior of the top of the sleeve includes a roughened zone to assist in control of a ball. Further, GB 2 412 287 discloses a band that wraps around the sweet spot of a soccer boot with a coating that increases the friction between the soccer ball and the soccer boot allowing the ball to be struck with greater accuracy. WO 2009/149055 A1 discloses an article of footwear for soccer with flexing portions in an arch portion of a sole system. The sole system includes trapping portions that enhance the ability of a wearer to stop and capture a ball.
However, in modern ball sports such as soccer, the speed and the requirements on the technical skills of the players are ever increasing. Therefore, there is a need to provide improved shoes which allow for higher speed and for better ball control.